A Survival Guide for Fashion Entrepreneurs

Disclosure: Compensation was provided by Intel via Mode Media. The
opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions
or positions of Intel.

Growing up I never knew that I would become an entrepreneur. I was born and raised in a suburb of Washington DC where the dream was this … go to school, graduate college, get a corporate job, get married, have a family, and retire.

There is nothing wrong with that dream. It just wasn’t for me.

My life was actually headed down that path in the early 2000s. I got my bachelors and worked in corporate America at AOL. I made pretty good money (or so I thought) but I wasn’t happy. So I did something about it. I started a blog in 2005, and the course of my life was forever changed.

This blog, which was originally called ‘Ask Fashion Kitty’, made me realize that styling and teaching others about style was what I was made for. I eventually quit my day job and decided to really go for this thing. Along the way I became co-founder and partner in another business called School of Style, which allows me to pass my knowledge to the next generation of stylists.

Today my life is so different. I am my own boss, which to be quite honest is awesome but there are definitely some challenges that come with being an entrepreneur. First challenge being there is no instruction manual. There also isn’t a check that comes every two weeks – you have to earn that money yourself!

So this one is for all of you fashion entrepreneurs out there, here are some tools that I use for survival in my daily life …

Mastermind Group

This one is a game changer which is why it’s first on the list. You can’t go at it alone. Running a business is hard! Joining a mastermind group to speak with like-minded people is a key ingredient for success. When I first started out my mastermind was literally me and a friend who also has her own business. Now I’ve joined a more formal group and it is amazing!

A Tablet

In my pre-business-boss days my tablet was basically used for Netflix and online shopping but today, my tablet is my lifeline. I use it to take notes during meetings (Evernote is my everything), to write blog posts, and to take photos during client fittings.

I recently started using the Intel powered Dell Venue 8 7000 tablet. This tablet rocks the house. The thin design (it’s the thinnest in the world!) and infinity edge-to-edge screen makes the device absolutely beautiful, but the real kicker is the camera. With Intel® RealSense™ technology, this device takes the best photos. With the help of this tablet, I can snap photos of my client’s looks and seamlessly switch the live documents I update during the styling session.

Regular Old Notebook

Technology is key for what I do, but I also love using good old fashioned pen and paper. My Moleskine notebook goes with me to every business meeting.

Great Apps

I’m not one to have an app just for the sake of having an app. I really use my apps on my tablet and on my phone. My favorites? Evernote, Scannable, CamCard, Style.com, and, of course all of my social media go-to apps (Facebook pages, Instagram, Twiiter, and LinkedIn).

What do you use to make your business life better? Share it in the comments below or head over to my Facebook page where the real action happens.

Intel makes new and exciting technologies possible, like the Intel® RealSense™ snapshot camera technology in my Dell Venue 8 tablet